A143 | |
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Route information | |
Length: | 74.7 mi (120.2 km) |
Major junctions | |
East end: | Great Yarmouth |
A12 road A14 road A134 road A140 road A144 road A146 road A1088 road A1307 road |
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West end: | Haverhill |
Location | |
Primary destinations: |
Diss Bury St Edmunds |
Road network | |
The A143 is a road that runs from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk to Haverhill in Suffolk.
For much of the route (between Yarmouth and Bury St Edmunds) the road is classified as a primary route. Over the years the road has been much improved with new by-passes opening at regular intervals. The last of these being the Broome - Ellingham bypass in March 2002.
The A143 begins as an off slip from the A12, just south of Great Yarmouth. The road continues in a south-westerly direction. On leaving Yarmouth there is a very short section of dual carriageway and from there the road is a strictly rural affair and there are not many straight sections.
This part of the route runs through some lovely countryside and passes many local attractions along the way. These include Fritton Lake, Caldecotte Hall and Redwings horse sanctuary. The route passes through the villages of St Olaves and Haddiscoe before joining up, for about 1 mile, with the A146 at a roundabout a few miles from Beccles. During the summer months this is an area very popular with holiday makers so the road can be quite busy at times.
The road in this area has undergone major changes in the last few decades. The original route took you through the centre of many towns and villages and has now been renumbered the B1062. From the Suffolk town of Bungay until Harleston the road follows the route of the now defunct Waveney Valley Line railway and progress along this section of the road is generally quite good as there are no reduced speed limits, save for Brockdish. The road eventually intersects with the A140 Norwich to Ipswich road, just outside the Norfolk town of Diss.